The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-19
The Russian Bloodhound,

In crossing the Strand, London, l
lodged the pole of one vehicle just in
time 70 be struck by the shafts of an
other, and, as the pavement was slip
per-, I went down, and the vehicle
went over me, breaking my left leg be
ow the knee. An hour later | was in
my bachelor apartments (the work of the
surgcou tinished), and feeling that
ou4ht to be thankful to have come off
with my life I was in for siege of
many weeks, and | had some business
which must be attended to by an out
slider. Therefore, after a day or two, |
sent for Captain Jack Williams, an old
acquaintance. He answered promptly
enough, and we soon made very salts
@actory arrangements. He was bluff,
3onest fellow, out of active service, and
having nothing to do, and the only UNI
pleasant feature about his friendship was
the fact of his owning a monster Rus
sian bloodhound. The brute was his
shadow. Where the dog could not 90
-he Captain would not 60. He relu ed
MI parties and receptions because of the
log He refrained from excursions by
land or sea because he would be tenn
porariIy separated from Car, as he
called the animal. The pair were we'll
known in London, and the captain was
as safe at midnight in the slums as any
other man would be in the Strand at
1oonday. One glance at the dog was
anough to show that he was as daa-
gerous as a tiger. He made no friends
either among dogs or mon, and had
miracuIously escaped dozen welI-laid
raEs to bring about his death.
hated Car, and on two or three oc-
casOns l had reason to believe that the
feeling was returned. When the Captain
called and found me laid up, he had
sense enough to know that the prescn ce
Of the brute might annoy me, and he
therefore shut him up in the servants
room for a few minutes. The dog was
usually prompt in obedience. On this
occasion he obeyed in a grudging, sulky
manner, and before leaving the room
threatened me so plainly that l became
apprehcnsive. The Captain agreed that
Gar should not enter my sick room
again, and in couple of weeks l had
forgotten all about tie incident.
had apartments on the second floor,
@hrec rooms in a row, with a hall along
The front of the last two. The first
room was for my servant, a man who
had been with me for many years. The
acXt was the reception room, and the
h)rd my slc-ping room. One coming
either room. The bedroom and rccep-
ton room were connected, but the SER.
wants room was entirely shut off. 1t
was a hot day in August, with all doors
and windows open. l was feeling
pretty smart, although the pain was con-
siderable, and a couple of my friends
had just departed, after brief call,
when Henry, my servant, came in to see
what he could do for me. l was fiat on
my back, as you know, with no chance
to turn over on account of the leg, but
had him prop me up with two )r three
pillows. l then sent him for ice. He
had but few steps to go, and the doors
were left open behind him. He mad
been gone about five minutes when IN
walked Capt. Williams Russian blood
hound | shou,dn' have said walked; :;
On the contrary he came running In,
head up, tongue out, and his eyes as red
as live Goals ! saw him the moment he
entered, and it passed through my brain
ike a fash that he was mad.
The door leading into the hall was
open. Twice as the dog Circicd around
the room he seemed on the point of go
5ng out. but each time changed his
mind, whined in an uneasy way, and
then continued his circling. He did
not look for me, nor at me. 1t was a
.arge room. w tn the bed against the
wal, and from the way the brute
5umpel against the chairs believe he
was nearly blind. He had been with
me two or three minutes when the hall
door was caught by draught of wind
and slowly pulled to. 1t did not quite
shut. The deg noticed the movement,
sprang to get out, and the result was
taat he pushed tn door shut and
snapped the spring lock. The door lead
ing into the reception room was still
op.n, but the door from that into the
hail was shut. The animal rushed into
this rso~, upset chair and bumped